Details

Red King Crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus), also known as Alaska King Crab, King Crab; weight – 10.8 kg (24 lb); length – leg span of 1.5 m (5 ft); lifespan – 20 to 30 years. Red King Crabs are the largest of the commercially harvested crabs. They range in color from brownish to bluish red and are covered in sharp spines. They have three pairs of walking legs and one pair of claws, which differ in shape. One is a large, heavy-duty claw that is used for crushing prey, and the other is a smaller claw used for more delicate handling of food items. Red King Crabs eat almost anything they can find and crush with their claws. Larger crabs eat a much wider range of items including worms, clams, mussels, barnacles, crabs, fish, sea stars, sand dollars, and brittle stars. Large Red King Crabs have few predators and are only vulnerable right after molting. Image courtesy of NOAA.